Tiger Woods and Ernie Els have ruled out shorter hitters from any hope of wearing the Masters’ champion green jacket after taking a sneak peek at changes at Augusta National Golf Club.
Speaking here on Wednesday on the eve of the $5,5-million US PGA Bay Hill Invitational, world number one and defending Masters champion Woods warned that the course, lengthened by 155 yards, might now be the most difficult in golf.
”Without a doubt it’s gotten so much more difficult,” Woods said. ”With the added length, with those greens being the way they are, it just makes it so hard.
”With the speed of the greens now, if they are firm, that course is probably the most difficult you will ever play.”
Augusta’s trademark undulating greens were tough enough before officials began making the course harder following Woods’ 12-stroke 1997 victory. Next month’s first major championship of 2006 will be longer and even more grueling.
”It eliminates a lot of guys,” Woods said. ”If you hit it low and rely on your game to get the ball out there that way, and hit your irons not that high, you’re going to be struggling.”
Rain has drenched Augusta in recent years but should the sun shine through the Georgia pines, chaos could follow for many in the field.
”Without rain last year, we were thinking in the practice rounds that over-par was going to win. If you could keep it around even par you would win easily,” said Woods. ”This year, if it stays dry, probably same thing.”
Woods and Els will compete this week against Fiji’s Vijay Singh and South African Retief Goosen for a $990 000 top prize on a Bay Hill course that features denser rough than normal.
Both long-ball hitters figure to be among the few who can dominate at the Masters under the altered Augusta landscape.
”Where it used to be the most fun of all the majors, it’s becoming the hardest one now,” Els said.
”If we have tough weather conditions, it’s going to be a very tough week. It’s almost like a US Open now.
Six holes — 1, 4, 7, 11, 15 and 17 — were lengthened to make Augusta National’s par-72 layout play at 7 445 yards — 520 yards longer than when Woods won his first major there nine years ago.
”Experience is going to be big, even more than it used to be, because you’re coming in with longer clubs and you’ve got to hit certain areas more than you used to,” Els said. ”Over four days it’s going to narrow the field dramatically.”
The par-three fourth has been lengthened to 240 yards with almost 20 yards more room available from the back of a new tee area.
”I’ve talked to some of the old guys who played there in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s and they never had to hit wood into number four before, but you will see a lot of guys hitting wood there this year,” Woods said.
Els also found the par-three layout a handful.
”The first day it was downwind and I hit a four-iron to the left flag,” he said. ”The second day, the wind was a little into us and I hit a two-iron to the right flag. Going into that hole with a two-iron is quite something.” – AFP
